Duel Chronicles III: Written in the Stars
by Kuinra Shisa
Summary: It's time for Mai to live up to her destiny, and her guide has been sent to see that she does.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yugioh but I did create a number of the cards that appear in this story.

**Ryu: **I know it's been a while but with my current dry spell with my novel I've decided to go ahead and do the next installment of the _Duel Chronicles_. I took a while trying to pick between 2 different Yugioh characters to face my new creation but I think I've picked the one I want. I also think I'm going to go a different way with the ending of this one, but we'll se when I get there. Starting this installment I'm going to borrow an idea I saw by another writer and start keeping track of the number of cards the players have on hand. I used to do it in my head but now I'm gonna do it in the story to make it easier. I'm also curious if the duel will end with someone's LPs hitting exactly 0 like the other times. Those weren't intentional so we'll see if lightning strikes a third time. But before that comes, I actually had a review for the second _Duel Chronicle_.

**AriNekoGomu: **If you're a fan then why haven't you read any of my other fics? Oh well, maybe you will eventually. Thank you for reading; I hope you'll come back for more.

**Ryu:** That was easy, now let's get on with it.

* * *

Duel Chronicles III: Written In The Stars

The roar of the crowd was deafening to the combatants standing out in the middle of the dueling arena. It was the last duel of the three-day-long tournament and everyone was anxious for the final outcome.

"It's been a heated competition but it's all come down to this match," the announcer called from his box.

"You've put up a good fight," said one of the competitors as he drew his card, giving him 3 in his hand. He had no cards left on the field and only 1400 LPs left. On the other side though, his opponent only had 100 LPs, 1 card in her hand, and 2 reversed cards on the field. "I play _Early Burial_, and pay 800 LPs (600) to summon _Granadora_ (1900/700), back from the graveyard." On the field appeared a green lizard standing on its hind legs. Its arms formed into blades at the end and there were spikes and blades jutting out down its back and from its long, 8-eyed head. "And when _Granadora _is summoned I gain 1000 LPs (1600). _Granadora_, attack her LPs directly!" he ordered.

"This looks like the end folks," the announcer called as the lizard charged forward.

"Not so fast," interrupted the woman on the other side of the field. "I activate my Trap card, _Hysteric Party_." The pink card opened itself, the picture revealing six women with green-feathered wings surrounded by a light blue light. "Now," the woman went on, "all I have to do is discard 1 card from my hand to summon as many _Harpy Lady_ from my graveyard as I please." She discarded her last card (0). "I summon back 3 _Harpy Lady Cyber Bondage_ (1800/1300 x3)." On the field appeared three pink-haired women with green feathers forming wings on their arms that ended in yellow claws, all wearing black, S&M-esque armor.

"Big deal," her opponent said. "All _Granadora_ has to do is destroy 1 of them and your LPs will become 0. _Granadora_, attack the middle one."

"I'll activate my other Trap," the woman intervened again, opening her other card. This one depicted a birdman being engulfed in flames from the sky. "My _God Bird Attack_ card will let me sacrifice 1 Winged-Beast monster on my field to destroy 2 cards on the field." The center harpy began to glow with orange flames. "I sacrifice _Harpy Lady Cyber Bondage_ to destroy your _Early Burial_ and _Granadora_!" The flaming woman flew into the air and out over the audience, drawing many awed noises, before nose-diving as a ball of fire onto the dueling field, destroying the two selected cards and herself. "And when _Granadora_ goes to the graveyard," the woman duelist said when the smoke had cleared, "you lose 2000 LPs."

"_No!_" her opponent cried as his LPs dropped from 1600 to 0.

"It's unbelievable folks," came the announcer's ecstatic call, "But in a come-from-behind upset victory your winner and champion is Kujaku Mai."

The crowd cheered their new champion as the woman in the white top and purple shorts and vest walked off the field, back into the locker rooms.

'_I still got it,'_ she thought to herself as she stripped down to nothing and stepped into one of the showers. She stood for a while in the mist, letting the hot water soak her long blonde hair and cascade own over her large, voluptuous breasts. But even as the water warmed her body she held herself and shivered, a few tears falling from her eyes while she leaned against the tiles of the shower wall. For some reason the pain always caught up with her in the water, ever since that night that seemed so long ago. _'Valon…'_ and even more to the night where she'd thought she'd lost it all to the Orichalcos. _'Jounouchi…_' She wiped her tears away though and put on a strong face. "I'll show them… I'll show them all," she swore. "I'll be the best there is even if it kills me."

She was just finishing her shower when, for some reason, the lights and the water both cut off and she looked at the ceiling curiously. She wrapped her towel around her chest and then stepped out to ask someone what had happened only to find that she was all alone.

Even more curious now she went to get dressed when a voice said to her, "It would be such a shame to hide such a beautiful body even more than it already is."

Mai jumped and turned to the voice. There was a man standing across the room from her, dressed all in black with a trench coat that had all kinds of celestial-looking markings on it. He had short brown hair, blue eyes, and was standing with his hands in his pocket and a wearing a pleasant smile.

Still, Mai wasn't going to let this man intimidate her and asked jokingly, "Is this a little tacky? A fan raping his idol in the locker room after her championship victory."

The man chuckled a little. "You're as funny as you are beautiful," he complimented. "But rest assured I'm not here to violate you, tempting as you may be. Though I might be able to find time for you in my bed afterward."

"After what?" Mai asked, not amused.

"Do you believe in destiny Mai?" he asked.

Mai just raised an annoyed brow at him.

He chuckled again before going on. "It was written in the stars that I should come meet you here today," he told her. Then his voice became sinister, "Just as it is your destiny to forever chase a goal that cannot be achieved."

Mai was taken aback by that statement. What did he mean? Not her obsession with beating Yugi and Jou, how could he know that? Angry now she asked, "What do you want with me?"

"It's not what I want," he said. "I'm just following the script of the stars, my destiny. And in this scene I'm suppose to defeat you," he pulled from his jacket a Duel Disk, one with more celestial markings upon it, and slid it onto his arm, "in a duel."

Mai chuckled to herself. "So that's what you want. Fine, I'll take you on." She picked up her own Duel Disk, forgetting her clothes, and slid it onto her arm. Both of them activated the devices, LPs set to 4000, and drew their opening hands.

"Duel," they said.

"I'll go first," the man said, reaching for his deck.

"Before you do, I should know your name," Mai said.

"Forgive me," he said solemnly. "I'm Kyohaku, and I will be your demise. Draw." He picked his first card (6), then looked over his hand. "I summon _Zodiac Cat_ (5; 1900/700) in attack mode." On the field appeared a small orange cat with long ears, a small antenna, twelve tails, and a few markings on its body.

"Cute," Mai said, "I hate cutesy monsters."

"That's too bad," Kyohaku said, "This monster is the beginning of our performance for the stars. But attacks can't be launched on the first turn, so I'll instead set 1 reversed card and end my turn (4)."

"My turn then," Mai said, drawing a card (6). _'A monster with 1900 ATK and a reversed card… All right then, I'll play hard too.'_ She scanned her hand and then made her choice. "I summon _Harpy Lady Cyber Bondage_ (5; 1800/1300) in attack mode." The pink-haired harpy in black armor appeared before her. "Then I'll add the equip card _Arrow Claw_ (4), giving my harpy another 300 ATK (2100)." On the harpy's wrist appeared a long curved blade. "Now _Harpy Lady_ attack that kitten."

"Reverse card open," Kyohaku called just as the winged woman slashed through his monster and his LPs reduced (3800). The card was a Trap, and on it was a picture of cards with stars on the back being shuffled. "My _Shuffling the Stars_ Trap card will allow me to shuffle my deck every time a _Zodiac _monster returns to it."

"Too bad I just sent it to the graveyard though," Mai said.

"No, you didn't. _Zodiac _monsters never go to the graveyard. Every time they would be they go to the bottom of my deck instead." He pulled his deck out and placed the monster on the bottom. "So now I get to shuffle my deck." He did and then replaced it back in his Duel Disk. "Anything else Mai?"

'_I can't send his monsters to the graveyard… but if I can destroy them and damage his LPs then that's all that matters.' _She looked at her hand again. "I'll set 2 cards and end my turn (2)."

"On to me then," Kyohaku said, drawing (5). "I set 1 monster in defense mode, ending my turn." The card appeared facedown before him (4).

"Back to me." Mai drew (3). "I summon _Harpy's Baby Pet Dragon _(2; 1200/600)." Next to the bird-women appeared a small, plump, pink dragon wearing a black headpiece. "And when there's 1 or more _Harpies_ on my field you won't be able to attack them unless you attack her first. Now then, _Harpy Lady_ attack his reversed monster." The women attacked, slashing the card in half and causing a rodent-looking monster to appear briefly before shattering.

"For destroying _Zodiac Rat _in battle you activate its effect," Kyohaku said. "As you know it goes back to the bottom of my deck and then _Shuffling the Stars_ lets me shuffle." He did so, but held his deck afterward. "But all the _Zodiac_ monsters do that. With the exception of the cat all the _Zodiac_ monsters have their own special ability and you activated the rat's; which lets me summon another _Zodiac Rat_ from my hand or deck, which I place in defense mode." On the field appeared a cute gray mouse whose tail split into three ends and body was covered with more markings (1000/300).

_'If I destroy it another will appear, and since they return to his deck that'll only repeat endlessly. I'll have to destroy it some other way.'_ She looked down at her hand and smirked. "I'll set 1 more card facedown and end my turn (1)." 

"Then I'll go." He drew (5) and looked at his card. "I play _Astral Projection_ (4)." The card he held was a Magic card depicting the same rat that sat on the field casting an astral form of itself that was morphing into something else. "This Magic card will let me sacrifice a _Zodiac_ Monster on my field to Special Summon one with a higher level from my hand. Let _Zodiac Rat _be the sacrifice," he took the monster from the field and placed it on the bottom of his deck, then reshuffled while the rat on the field left behind its ethereal form, "and summon _Zodiac Ox_ (3)." The ghost rat transformed into a minotaur monster with black fur and white markings (2100/1800). "And I'll also summon _Zodiac Dog _(2)." Next to the minotaur appeared a black dog-like creature with spines down its back, a long pointed tail, horns on its head, and more markings (1800/900).

"Impressive that you can call 2 monsters in one turn," Mai complimented. "But you won't break through my harpy wall."

"We'll see. I'll attack your baby dragon with _Zodiac Ox_!" The minotaur charged forward with its head bowed to destroy the dragonling.

"Reverse card open," Mai called out. Her Trap card of a small nest being tended to by a _Harpy Lady_ revealed itself. "_Harpies Nesting Ground_. This card only works when I have a _Harpy Lady_ on my field and lets me Special Summon a _Harpy Girl _from my deck." She searched her deck and summoned a young, skimpy-dressed harpy with pink wings, blonde hair, and a pink wing headdress (500/500).

"As tempting as it is to destroy your hatchling you're dragon will still protect her I'm sure," Kyohaku assumed.

"I'm afraid so," Mai confirmed.

"Then my attack continues on your dragon." The minotaur continued charging on the dragon only to be counterattacked by a whirlwind from the dragon's mouth that destroyed it, reducing Kyohaku's LPs (3500). "What happened?"

"You didn't know it," Mai explained, "but when there are 2 _Harpies_ on my field, in addition to protecting its masters she also gains double ATK points (2400)."

"My, my, Mai, you are very impressive," Kyohaku complemented, placing the ox back into his deck and reshuffling. "But I'm capable of surprises too, and I think _Zodiac Ox's_ effect is a nice one. You see; any monster that battles my ox is destroyed." The baby dragon burst into pieces. "Sadly only 1 Zodiac monster can attack or be attacked per turn. So I'll set a reverse card and then play _Year of the…_ (0)" A Magic card with a picture of the Zodiac in wheel form appeared. "This will let me draw until I have cards in my hand equal to the level of a Zodiac monster on my field, so choose my only one, _Zodac Dog_." He drew 4 cards. "And it'll also increase the ATK of that monster by 100 for ach card drawn until the end of the turn (2200). Next I'll play the card I previously set, _Shooting Stars_." This card had pictures of stars falling from the sky. "Now, for every Zodiac monster I discard from my hand I can destroy 1 card on your field." He held up three: a light green snake, a brown boar-like creature, and gray horse with a flaming mane, all covered with markings. "For these 3 cards I'll destroy your 2 reverse cards and _Harpy Lady Cyber Bondage_." As he shuffled them into his deck a rain of stars fell from the sky, destroying the 3 selected cards.

"You set off my _Harpy Egg _Trap card," Mai said as the smoke cleared. "This card activates when it's destroyed and lets me summon a _Harpy Egg Token_ (0/0) in defense mode." A pink egg appeared on the field.

"I set my last card and end my turn (0)." Kyohaku said calmly. The card appeared before him, his dog's ATK returning to normal (1800).

"My turn," Mai said, drawing (2). "And I activate _Precious Coins from Above_, forcing each of us to draw until we have 7 cards." Rays of light rained from the sky as they drew. Mai examined her cards. " Kyohaku, in this turn I'll show you my true strength."

"Please do," the man said anxiously.

"First, I'll sacrifice my _Harpy Egg Token_ to call another _Harpy Girl _from my deck. Then I'll play _Elder's Guidance_ (6)." Another _Harpy Girl _appeared (500/500), and then the Magic card with a picture of a _Harpy Lady_ instructing a group of _Harpy Girls_. "When I have 2 or more _Harpy Girls_ on the field I can summon a _Harpy Lady_ from my deck." A new armored harpy appeared where the old one had stood (1800/1300). "Then I activate _Wind's Guidance_ (5)," this card was a _Harpy Lady_ meditating. "With this I can sacrifice a _Harpy Lady _on my field to call _Harpy Priestess _from my deck." The harpy was caught up in a gentle, flowing whirlwind that transformed her black armor into flowing white robes (2300/1800). "Continuously I'll sacrifice my 2 _Harpy Girls_ to summon the original and fully grown _Harpy's Pet Dragon_." In a burst of flames an adult of the former dragonling appeared (4; 2000/2500). "Next I discard 1 _Harpy Lady_ from my hand (3) to activate the effect of _Harpy Priestess_, letting me Special Summon up to 3 _Harpy Girls_ from my graveyard." The two girls reappeared (500/500 x2). "Then I activate from my hand _Spreading Wings_ (2)." This was a Continuous Magic card with a _Harpy Girl _readying to fly. "While this card is face-up all my _Harpy Girls_ names will be treated as _Harpy Lady_ and their original ATK and DEF will become the same as a selected _Harpy Lady_ on my field."

"But there are none on your field," Kyohaku pointed out.

"Wrong, my _Harpy Priestess's _name is treated as _Harpy Lady_ while she's on the field," Mai corrected. "So now my _Harpy Girls'_ ATK and DEF will be the same as hers (2300/1800)." The 2 _Harpy Girls_ grew into more mature versions of themselves. "Finally, _Harpy's Pet Dragon_ gains 300 ATK for every _Harpy Lady _on my field. Plus, _Harpy Priestess _increases the ATK of all other _Harpies _by 300. So now the scores look like this: _Harpy Priestess/Harpy Lady_ (2300/1800), _Harpy Girl/Harpy Lady_ (2600/1800) x2, _Harpy's Pet Dragon _(3200/2500)."

"So Mai, this is your true power," Kyohaku said, impressed. "It'll be so much fun to trounce this massive force you've put before me."

"You won't beat me," Mai said. "_Harpy's Pet Dragon_, attack _Zodiac Dog_." The dragon reared its head and the fired a blast of wind from its mouth that blasted through and destroyed the dog, reducing Kyohaku's LPs by 1400 (2100). "And now that you have no monsters left there's nothing to stop me from finishing off your LPs."

The dust began to clear, and when it had there now stood 3 _Zodiac Dogs_ on Kyohaku's field.

"What's going on, why are there more of them?" Mai asked.

"Because you activated my Trap," was the man's reply. The dust cleared and Mai could see a card with of a long creature glowing brightly. "It's called _Celestial Summoning_, and it only activates when 1 of my Zodiac Monsters is destroyed."

"What does it do?"

"By removing that monster, along with 2 other monsters of the same name in my deck from the game, I can call specially a Zodiac monster from my hand." He slapped the card down on his duel disk and on the field arose a red, serpent-like dragon with flaming wings and covered in celestial markings. "Meet the most powerful _Zodiac Dragon_ (6; 2850/2300). And as I said before only 1 Zodiac Monster can attack or _be attacked_ per turn. You already attacked _Zodiac Dog _this turn so you cannot attack my dragon."

Mai growled a little. "I'll set 2 reversed cards (0) and end my turn." The cards appeared.

"Then its time I ended this duel," Kyohaku said. Something changed about him as he drew his card (7). "First I play equip my dragon with _Power of Years_ (6)." The equipment card appeared, depicting a timeline of years with the year 2000 made to stand out. "This card will increase the ATK and DEF of the equipped Zodiac Monster by 200 (3050/2500), plus another 100 ATK during every one of my Standby Phases; not that we'll get that far. But first I play another _Shooting Star_, and discard _Zodiac Sheep_ and _Zodiac Tiger_ to destroy you 2 reversed cards (3)."

Stars rained from the sky, destroying _Harpy Lady – Suzaku Formation _and _Silver Screen Mirror Wall_ on Mai's field.

"Next I play _Star Re-alignment_ (2)." This Magic card was a group of stars that looked to be moving around quickly. "And at the cost of 500 LPs (1600) I can move all my Zodiac Monsters that are removed from the game to the bottom of my deck. So my 3 _Zodiac Dogs_ return, and then _Shuffling the Stars_ will let me reshuffle." He followed the process. "Finally, I play _Year of the…_(1), which means I draw till I have a number of cards on hand equal to the level of1 of my Zodiac Monsters, and I choose _Zodiac Dragon_." He drew seven cards, bringing his total up to 8. "And then, my dragon gets 100 ATK for every card drawn (3750)."

'_Oh no, it's stronger than my dragon,'_ Mai thought, panicked. _'And he destroyed my Traps.'_

"_Zodiac Dragon_, attack _Harpy Priestess_," he ordered.

_'Without her all my monsters ATK will return to normal,'_ she realized as the dragon reared its head and launched a fireball at the priestess, destroying it and reducing Mai's LPs for the first time (3050).

"And now your monstes are all weaklings again," Kyohaku declared as the remaining harpies become girls again, _Spreading Wings_ having been destroyed with the priestess, and the dragon slumped tiredly. "Furthermore, _Zodiac Dragon_ has a very special power that lets it attack all of my opponent's monsters in one turn. So now I'll attack _Harpies Pet Dragon_!" His dragon reared its head and launched another fireball, destroying the opposing dragon and further reducing Mai's LPs (1300).

_'It's happening all over again,'_ Mai thought, tears welling in her eyes. She thought she heard the man yelling something, but couldn't make it out. Then she saw two more fireballs heading toward her _Harpy Girls_. _'No matter how strong I get it can never be enough.'_ The fireballs struck, destroying her monsters. _'I'll always be falling behind.'_ And finally her LPs reduced to 0. _'Jounouchi… save me…'_ she thought, falling to her knees with her defeat.

"In this scene it was written that Kujaku Mai, just coming off her championship victory, would be defeated by the messenger of the stars," Kyohaku said, walking to her. "And when she did she would fall into the depths of darkness and submit herself to the one that guides her destiny." He picked Mai up and carried her over to one of the benches in the locker room, laying her down and removing her towel, leaving her exposed. "The first part has been completed," he said, slipping out of his clothes. "Now it is time for you to submit."

"No…" Mai whispered, feeling his hands caressing her nude form. "No…" she said more loudly as he crawled on top of her, now as bare as she. "_No!_" she screamed as she was forced to succumb to her fate and to this man's will. "No… no… no…" she whispered and she cried while he had his way with her, cursing her body for enjoying the submission and cursing her mind for being to weak to truly fight back.

"The stars were always good to me," Kyohaku said with satisfaction, crawling off of her when he'd finished. He dressed quickly and left without another word.

Mai just lay there, shaking with the aftershock of her explosion, crying soft sobs to herself. This was her life for so long, but it was a life she had chosen. There was but one light in her life, and yet she always seemed to turn her back on it.

"Jounouchi… please save me…"**

* * *

Ryu: **

Itold you it would be a different ending. I'm thinking I may continue this particular plot later on in the , I think I have an idea for an interesting follow up. But I'll put some time between it and focus on some other plotlines for right now. So, until the next installment goes up, I hope you enjoyed this one. Please leave a review and tell me what you think. 

Spelling and grammar edited on 11/30/06.


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